here is your entitlement reform

Working Class Now Forced To Hold Up Banks To Gain Health Care

Here is the new ultimatum people are putting to themselves: is it better to be in prison on a felony charge with some health care, or dead? Or put another way, “America 2011: crime or death.” 59-year-old delivery driver James Varone was not able to obtain medical treatment for a chest protrusion after losing his latest job, so he robbed a bank for one dollar in order to be arrested and sent to prison, where he can see a doctor for free. We give it one week until we are reading another story like this:

[Varone] has a lot to say on the subject of socialized medical care. He suspects he wouldn’t be talking to a reporter through a metal screen wearing an orange jumpsuit if such an option were available in the U.S.

“If you don’t have your health you don’t have anything,” said Verone.

The man has high hopes with his recent incarceration.

He has seen several nurses and has an appointment with a doctor Friday.

The ideal scenario would include back and foot surgery and a diagnosis and treatment of the protrusion on his chest, he said. He would serve a few years in prison and get out in time to collect Social Security and move to the beach.

I will change my spell settings so I can be an effective US temp, thanks!

Come here a minute

According to Talking Points Memo, it didn't work because he only asked for a dollar, not qualifying for prison. If he had asked for a million dollars, it would have had the added benefit of covering his medical bills (maybe), if he got away with it.

Rapists get free healthcare in this country, if you are raped in Arizona it costs around 12k dollars for 3 days in ICU, my friend experienced this in the late 90's. It ruined her credit for years.

Radiotherapy®

He could have just went to the ER. Just sayin'.
I guess he wasn't patient enough.

zhubajie

Ever tried to get treatment at the ER without insurance? You get contemptuous treatment at a high price.

SorosBot

Just a few weeks ago in fact! And I've got a total of about $2500 in bills for what amounted to about a 15 minute conversation with a doctor for my moments of panicking and thinking I was suffering heat stroke which turned out to be just dehydration that I recovered from during the several hours of waiting.

Every single renter my sister has done a credit check on in the past 2 years has come up with unpaid medical bills. Almost everyone has them now, this country when it finally passes single payer healthcare is going to have to address this issue.

SarcasticNymph

I hope your sister still rents to them.

ThundercatHo

America, meet Joe the Robber.

FNMA

So, how soon until Ryan and his crew introduce legislation to cut off medical care for prison inmates?

If you have been reading outside the liberal blogosphere lately, the amount of mouth breathers who feel qualified to pontificate on what to do with illegal immigrants, homosexuals, socialists and the like has been rising and it usually takes the form of a convoluted revenge fantasy where they personally slaughter everyone that disagrees with them. The vitriol is rising pretty quickly, this next presidential election might be the last straw, I might just move to Canada, I spent 7 years under Bush researching about it and considering it.

horsedreamer_1

You know who else was filled with vitriol & initiated a revenge fantasy of slaughtering his enemies?

DaRooster

With all the Fuck-Tards around he could have beat the shit out of and he goes for a dollar? Hell, I would have given him a ride and a list of numbskulls that need their asses kicked…

This actually works. With the high prison population and health care merging in one big american Apple pie wrapped in a flag flown to us in the talons of a bald eagle atop of which Sarah Palin is riding toppless.

No, that'll still work. You guys are still a socialized (for now) European country with decent health care (for now) and I'm watching "Being Human" so I know there's definitely nudity out there that isn't just for HBO. Plus, I love soccer. Win/win. The only issue I can see, though, is I do not care at all about some Pippa Middleton or this "Cheryl Cole."

I'm sure the Repubicans and TP'ers are shocked, shocked to learn prisoners sent to government-run prisons by government-run police and government-run courts can get government-run health. For free! That seems almost like the Christian thing to do. So they'll be against it.

flamingpdog

Just so long as none of those Rethuglicans visits anyone in those gubmint-run prisons. That would be so un-Christ-like. Or give them food. Or drink. Or clothes. Or visit them when they're sick … or, oh, phuck it ….

Thurman Munster IV

When only outlaws get health care, then health care will be outlawed. Or vice versa.

SayItWithWookies

Hallelujah — our storied heroes of yore ride again! Okay, we were sorta hoping for more George Washington and less Jean Valjean, but we'll take what we can get.

SorosBot

That also only works if you need emergency treatment, or care for a short-term problem; if you get something like cancer that requires long-term care you're just plain fucked.

Crank_Tango

where did your peez go?

flamingpdog

Your peez are back, SB – which bank did you knock off?

SorosBot

I think it was the image of that shirtless Ron Paul that made my p-ness shrink; but it's all back now.

zhubajie

Why do you think there are so many faith healers in the US? They service a lot of desperate people!

KeepFnThatChicken

Someone on the right probably thinks he's just gay, and lookin' for the unending sexual smorgasbord of prison life.

arihaya

fuck Bernie Madoff,,, he swindled billions and get a free healthcare for 150 years

flamingpdog

Oslammercare!

glamourdammerung

U S A ! U S A ! U S A !

Gopherit

This might be the only way someone could get out of going to jail in AZ. Commit a crime, say it was for sweet medical care, and get set free.

flamingpdog

Why do you think the Rethugs are denying the existence of global warmification?

jus_wonderin

Well, the alternative is to bundle up the millions of plastic water bottles we throw in the landfill and set them adrift on those. We could even make them create their own post-consumer waste flotillas.

Goonemeritus

You sir are missing out on your true calling, Any number of Libertarian think tanks should be clamoring for your services.

Yes, there is. One in the Atlantic too. They are roughly the size of Texas. which gives me an idea….

jus_wonderin

It is a novel idea. I'd try it (if ever in a pinch) just as long as I have a big burly protector in the Pen. For the life of me I don't know what I could pay for that protection, though. Cigerettes? Damn I would be in a pinch again.

Most county jails in civilized parts of the country are relatively low violence. It is only when you move to places with massive influx of non-violent and violent prisoners because of mandatory sentencing laws where you have problems.

40% of prisoners in some Texas prisons are raped, 60% when you go to the juvenile facilities.

Numbat_Dundee

How about getting yourself arrested for assaulting a Koch brother, with a large dildo? Just an idea.

flamingpdog

Are you certain he'd file charges?

Sue4466

Only way to get free healthcare is rob a bank or run for Congress. He made the right choice.

Guppy06

While this has the potential to develop into a category 5 media shitstorm, this is still just a tropical clusterfuck, and will be until we start learning more info, like:
Did he have any other options that he missed along the way to incarceration?How different would things be in 2014, if any?
So I'm going to hold off for a week or so before I start stocking up on milk and toilet paper.

However, conditions are looking good for an intense "I told you so!" from Alan Grayson.

Medicaid in his state is on a lottery system and being scaled back. He would be lucky to get anything within 18 months.

Rotundo_

Do you honestly think that we would send people out on artificial ice floes made of plastic bottles if they become infirm and unable to work? The republicans would never stand for this. The ice floes would have to be constructed of Georgia Pacific corrugated cardboard formed by Dixie into ice floe shapes so that the Koch's could get some of that sweet government money when we get set adrift. The bonus is that the cardboard breaks down much more rapidly and releases the soon to be deceased into the water to keep our endangered shark populations fed. It's all about the profits.

ttommyunger

If he's still got his looks at his age, Bubba will shove something so far up his ass it will feel like it is portruding out of his chest.